What a wonderful blessing it was for our family to be able to celebrate with our friends, the Bullington Family, today when they arrived home with their baby girl, Pearl, from China. Unfortunately, we did not have our camera handy to record the moment :( We were oh so excited to be there to greet them and their precious children! Feel free to visit their blog at www.thebullingtonboard.blogspot.com and read all about their family adventures in China. Maddox and Pearl are destined to be great friends. Maddox was beside herself with little Pearl. She held her hand and rubbed her little arm ever so sweetly. Also, welcome back to Donna and her family at www.myshelbybaby.blogspot.com. Donna and I became friends during our first adoptions together. Since then, Donna has adopted two more little ones from China and plays an active role in advocating for lots of little ones to come to their forever homes! She is amazing.

Following our trip to greet the Bullington family, we decided to make a day of it and visit Ryan's parents, aunts and uncles. This is an easy trip as they all live on the same exact street!

It was great fun and we loved sharing Maddox with them.

She hammed it up with her usual charming self and was all tuckered out when we got in the car to go to our next destination, the pond.

Maddox's first attraction, the lawn mower. She quickly climbed atop of this mower and took to the wheel like it was a long lost friend.

Meanwhile, Ryan taught Fishing 101 to the children.....

MK really wasn't sure what to think about the fish that were being caught....one minute she was excited and the next minute she was a squealing mess because the fish was wiggling...either way, the boys were both thrilled with their catch of the day.

A much needed paddle boat ride....

Ryan took the three older kiddos fishing, all caught a fish, MK caught her very first fish - she even casted out and caught the fish all.by.herself -, and they all enjoyed going for rides in the paddle boat. Meanwhile, Maddox and I stayed nearby watching cautiously for any snake-like creatures that would be/could be lurking around. Thankfully, we did not see any. Maddox did enjoy a bottle pond side and she really liked taking a look around at what nature has to offer. So funny to watch her. She was very careful to touch and she was not at all sure what to think of the horses.

As always, Ryan and I left the pond dreaming of our house that we would love to someday build on this property. So peaceful there....